Just got a baby BP who wont eat, I think its normal, but need conformation

[darkangel]

Umm... can I leave it in his/her 10 gallon glass aquarium? I have it set up with newspaper, a hide, and a weird looking trunk thing that it can hide under with about 88 temp and 60% humidity. Or do I need a 6 quart tub

I think you really should take everyone here's advice and get it into a small enclosure, with two IDENTICAL small hides, and get your temperatures right, with a good digital thermometer to measure with. The 10 gallon will be great once your baby has shed and eaten and is established, but right now you need to give him what he needs.

[whyteboi]

Ok well I tried feeding it a dead hopper. Not sure on the name, but it looked a LITTLE bigger then a fuzzy. The guy at the store said my baby should be eating AT LEAST this size.

Anyway i left the mouse in there over night with no luck, I dangled it infront of him first for 10 minutes. I gave up and heard stories about overnight success. I started at 7pm when i saw him roaming in his cage.

Its been a week so can I handle him, or should I still just wait till he eats?

I kinda dont wanna waste my mice, but I wanna feed him as often as possible, since I got 4, now 3. Every 5 days, or every week?

[SnakeEyes]

First off, why did you get a hatchling? doesn't sound like your really up for it...

When I got my first hatchling:
http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u.../100_00321.jpg

I put her in a small tub:
http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u.../100_00361.jpg
http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u.../100_00341.jpg
http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u.../100_00381.jpg

two small hides, one on cool side of tank, one on warm side of tank. VERY simple yet it gives them security. Put the tub in a non-traffic area and leave the poor thing alone for a few days. You bought it and have been bothering it since then. I bought mine the day after she shed at the pet shop. Put her in her tub, and left her alone for a solid week an offered her a hopper mouse, no go, she didnt want it. So i turned all the lights in the room off and sat in the dark for about 3-4 hrs before she took it. Your might take long since its been stressed since the day you got it. Take he hopper out, put it in a smaller tub, with two hides and a water bowl, get your temps right, your humidity up, and leave the poor thing along for 3-4 days, its not gonna starve in that time frame. Has it even shed yet?

Mine is now 82 grams, eats anything I throw in there and got too big for her little baby tub so I upgraded her to a nice 10G tank, no way would I have put her in there as a hatchling.

http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u.../101_56741.jpg
http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u.../101_56731.jpg
http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u.../101_56771.jpg

Good Luck.

[rabernet]

Ok well I tried feeding it a dead hopper. Not sure on the name, but it looked a LITTLE bigger then a fuzzy. The guy at the store said my baby should be eating AT LEAST this size.

Anyway i left the mouse in there over night with no luck, I dangled it infront of him first for 10 minutes. I gave up and heard stories about overnight success. I started at 7pm when i saw him roaming in his cage.

Its been a week so can I handle him, or should I still just wait till he eats?

I kinda dont wanna waste my mice, but I wanna feed him as often as possible, since I got 4, now 3. Every 5 days, or every week?

NO handling until after his first successful meal (and not until 48 hours after he eats).

Try once a week, and try getting him set up properly first. He's clearly not settled yet. Have you at least considered moving him to a small tub with two identical hides?

[whyteboi]

Umm no cause the tub would be 70 degrees. I do have a uth from zoo-med that is 4watts and 60Hz. Not sure if this would be good. I guess I might waste more money on a tub that I will only use for 1 week.

Maybe Im not being clear, I did write that out of order. I thawed the hopper in warm water for 5 minutes, took him out, dried him with a blow drier. Dangled it in front of him for 5 minutes, then left the mouse in there overnight.

I have everything set up fine. The only thing on all websites guidelines that I am not following is two identical hides. I have seperate ones.

No I have not been bothering it the whole time. Ive handled it maybe 3 times for when I first got it, then seeing how active it was a day or two later, and changing the newspaper today, because it deficated some white stuff showing that he might still have something in his body, meaning the problem isnt definitly my setup, he just might not be hungry.

Im trying to avoid the whole tub at all costs. Ill go look for one around the house. I dont have two hides, I might just use tissue paper boxes. Then stick the water bowl and the UTH on and put him in the basement.

[Subzero]

You obviously bought a CH hatchling on an impulse before reading anything up on them, I get alot of that stuff around here come this time of the year. Should never buy anything that has not eaten or shed.

10 gal should be ok. You need a good thermometer (accurite from walmart) the dial ones suck. Warm side low 90's cool side low 80's (below 75 is dangerous).

Newspaper is fine but make sure your undertank pad is not getting too hot (they often do)

Dont touch it till it eats could be up to one month before it will more if you stress it out, or something is not right as far as husbandry goes.

[rabernet]

Umm no cause the tub would be 70 degrees. I do have a uth from zoo-med that is 4watts and 60Hz. Not sure if this would be good. I guess I might waste more money on a tub that I will only use for 1 week.

Maybe Im not being clear, I did write that out of order. I thawed the hopper in warm water for 5 minutes, took him out, dried him with a blow drier. Dangled it in front of him for 5 minutes, then left the mouse in there overnight.

I have everything set up fine. The only thing on all websites guidelines that I am not following is two identical hides. I have seperate ones.

No I have not been bothering it the whole time. Ive handled it maybe 3 times for when I first got it, then seeing how active it was a day or two later, and changing the newspaper today, because it deficated some white stuff showing that he might still have something in his body, meaning the problem isnt definitly my setup, he just might not be hungry.

Im trying to avoid the whole tub at all costs. Ill go look for one around the house. I dont have two hides, I might just use tissue paper boxes. Then stick the water bowl and the UTH on and put him in the basement.

Why are you trying to avoid a tub at all costs? Buying a tub is not a waste of money (besides it's only $3 at Dollar General) when it comes to the health and well-being of your snake. You came here asking for help, and we've offered our suggestions. It's up to you to decide if you care to take it.

And you would use a tub for much longer than a week.

Good luck with your snake!

[SnakeEyes]

so you want to avoid using a tub at all cost, even if it means the well being of your snake?

Might want to rethink your idea for a pet my friend. If you weren't going to use our advice cause it doesn't agree with what you have or what you think, then why did you even bother asking?

[ReptileFan]

you need to research ball pythons quite a bit. it ovivous you know nothing about them and bought one rather randomly. go learn about them read some caresheets and get you enclousure set up properly.

[Freakie_frog]

I don't know if I have welcomed you yet or not.. so if I haven't welcome to the site.

Umm no cause the tub would be 70 degrees. I do have a
uth from zoo-med that is 4watts and 60Hz. Not sure if this would be good. I guess I might waste more money on a tub that I will only use for 1 week.

If the tub is properly set up then no. I currently maintain 5 hachlings in 6qt tubs and can maintain a proper temp in them without a problem. It does require a little more effort to do but it can be done. The tubs are only a few dollars and its only the health and well being of your animal were talking about. the decision is yours.

Maybe Im not being clear, I did write that out of order. I thawed the hopper in warm water for 5 minutes, took him out, dried him with a blow drier. Dangled it in front of him for 5 minutes, then left the mouse in there overnight.

I have everything set up fine. The only thing on all websites guidelines that I am not following is two identical hides. I have separate ones.

then everything is not setup fine. Two identical hides are vital if your no willing to decrease the size of your enclosure. They are not optional, they aren't a well if I think it'll look good item they are a MUST HAVE! no getting around it.

No I have not been bothering it the whole time. Ive handled it maybe 3 times for when I first got it, then seeing how active it was a day or two later, and changing the newspaper today, because it deficated some white stuff showing that he might still have something in his body, meaning the problem isnt definitly my setup, he just might not be hungry.

The white stuff is urates a second by product of your snakes kidneys and accompany's urine when it eleminates. Its real risky making the comment that first you don't have two hides and second the problem can't possibly be your setup. Please if you hear nothing else I say hear this.. I as well as many of the people that have offered you solutions have more years experience keeping reptiles and more specifically ball pythons than many people have years of total education. I am telling you you have two things working against you. 1: you purchased a, unestablished, preshed captive hatched ball python. Who can be difficult for even an experienced breeder to get to eat. 2: Your set up.... regardless of how effective you may believe it to be....is less than adequate for even an established ball.

Im trying to avoid the whole tub at all costs. Ill go look for one around the house. I dont have two hides, I might just use tissue paper boxes. Then stick the water bowl and the UTH on and put him in the basement.

Avoiding the tub is avoiding a possible solution to your problem. However it is your snake. This is an animal that you have taken responsibility for its health and well being and in the end your call.

If I were you..and I wanted to keep this particular animal..and avoid using the tub heres what I'd do.

1: Get two hides small hides. Not tissue boxes but something that offers support, holds heat and will be supper tight for your ball. Look at this thead it'll show you how small they really like it. http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ad.php?t=45693


2:Crumple up some news paper and fill the tank half way full with it. Not stuffed just lightly crumpled in to a ball and then just toss it in there. This takes up some space in the tank and helps offer a more secure feeling for them.

3: Get you (if you haven't already) an "Accurite" digital indoor/outdoor thermometer and hygrometer combo. Its like 11.00 at Wal-Mart. USE IT!!

4: Put that UTH on a thermostat and set it to 90 degrees.

5: Cover the tank with a beach towel. This blocks out light and will keep your snake thinking its in a deep dark tight hole.

Do all of this before handleing, before even trying to feed. Give it two weeks like this no mucking around with it. Fill its water and leave it be.!!

Try that then offer a live hopper mouse..just put it in the tank as it is and leave it over night. Try all that then let me know how it goes.

P.S. no loud music in the room with it, not loud talking, nothing that would cause vibrations in the tank.